Capt. Matthew Birmingham of the Vermont State Police has been promoted to lieutenant colonel and will act as deputy director of the organization.

Birmingham’s promotion from commander of the narcotics investigation unit for the bureau of criminal investigation to lieutenant colonel was effective June 1.

Birmingham has served with the Vermont State Police since 1998.

State police say the last lieutenant colonel — James Baker — was appointed in 2006. Baker retired from the Vermont State Police in 2009. He is now police chief in Rutland.

Col. Tom L’Esperance, the director of the Vermont State Police, says the promotion will help to continue “building the Vermont State Police as a leader in Vermont’s public safety, while creating management continuity as the department goes through significant attrition of our command staff.”